The present invention relates generally to Mobile conveyor systems and more particularly to providing power to a plurality of subsystems found on the mobile conveyor system.
Conveyor systems have been around for many years. They are utilized in a wide variety of environments. One of the most demanding environments for a conveyor system is in the mining industry. In the mining industry, tons of rock and ore may have to be moved away from an active mining location. The rock and ore may need to be moved to a location outside of a mining hole or shaft so that it can be further processed.
In the mining industry, the active mining location is constantly moving. In many cases the active mining location moves deeper into a mine and follows a particular vein of ore. Thus, there is a need for a mechanism for transporting mined ore out of the mine via a system that both moves the ore out of the mine and can move the inby portion of the ore transporting system along with the active mining location""s movement.
Furthermore, if a failure, such as a power failure, occurs on such a mobile conveyance system, it would be important that the mobile conveyance system be able to retreat from the mine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,279 teaches an apparatus and method for continuous mining. The disclosed apparatus is a continuous mining system that includes a tramming conveyor. The tramming conveyor includes a continuous chain which extends the full length of the tramming conveyor. The same chain is used for both (tramming mode). A plurality of motors, spaced along the length of the tramming conveyor, motivate the single chain. Power is provided to the motors via a plurality of power buses such that a different power line powers, for example, every fourth motor. Drawbacks of this design is that the disclosed system cannot advance or retreat the conveyance system while it is in conveying mode. Furthermore, if a power bus fails to provide power, a plurality of motors along the tramming conveyor will be without power.
What is needed is a mobile conveyance system that, can provide power to all the motors powering either the conveyor portion or the mobilizing portion even if a power bus fails to provide power.
An exemplary mobile conveyance system comprises an interconnection of and mobile train of conveyance units. The train of conveyance units may trail behind a mining and loading unit. The combination of the mining and loading unit along with the mobile train can cut ore in a mining hole and deliver mined material to a transfer point outside the mining hole.
Each individual conveyance unit comprises two separate motor drive assemblies: one motor drive assembly for a conveyor system. and a second motor drive assembly for a locomotion system.
Two power cables are connected to each conveyance unit. The two power cables are connected through a switching system such that one power cable powers the conveyor motor drive assembly and the other power cable powers the locomotion motor drive assembly. If a power cable fails, the switching system can provide power from an operating power cable to the drive motor needing power.